Author's Notes: Apologies for long wait, I have a lot of stories, plot bunnies, and projects that keep me jumping around my docs like Bugs Bunny. I kinda keep looking at this and procrastinating. Finally buckled down today and have cracked down for like four hours. Hope its good. Shout out to DZ2 for the prompt that birthed this fun project

Chapter Seven

Quest for The Water Star

The once small group of three was presently six since Laxus, very painstaking, found himself in charge of a team completely dedicated to him. The Raijin Tribe consisted of three thirteen year old Fairy Tail mages, Evergreen, Freed Justine, and Bickslow, each possessing a certain Eye Magic and disposition for worshipping the ground Laxus walked on. He wasn't sure why, but they valued strength, like he had begun to talk a little about recently, and were eager to heed his orders.

"The tribe of yes-men,"

Natsu and Harry snickered, getting dirty looks from the younger mages and for Natsu, a surge of electricity from Laxus. The pinkette spat fire and got in the blonde's face. "You wanna go, Sparkplug!" Enraged, the grandson of Makarov met this challenge head on.

"Bring it on, Smokestack!"

As the two went at it, Harry guided the Raijin Tribe ahead. Being the only civil ones left, they made good distance before the two imbeciles caught up. "You left us behind!" Natsu accused, with Laxus scowling in agreement.

Shooting them a nonplussed look over his shoulder, Harry said rather boredly "I knew you'd find us when you were done being baboons," Both Dragon Slayers gaped like fish, not used to being called baboons so boldly, and the snickering Evergreen made their faces go a certain shade of pink.

"Now shush, we're about to reach the client's house,"

The client's house was a stately manor right out of a children's story and home to any assortment of magical creatures. Evergreen was looking around keenly, hoping to spot a more mythical magical creature, but much to her disappointment she found none.

Harry chuckled at her despondent expression. "They appear only for the most noble and pure, Evergreen. It is why children are the prime demographic that ever spot a mythical creature in their entire lifetime," Spirits lifted ever so slightly, she thanked him as they reached a moat.

A voice opposite it shouted "Lower the drawbridge!~" The bridge was lowered with a loud bang and on the other side stood a knight in golden armor. The knight had blazing orange hair and fiery golden eyes, and looked upon them.

"Halt! Speak now or forever burn within my blade," The golden knight declared, gripping the hilt of a glowing golden blade. All of them stopped quickly.

"You seek the Master for the mission sent, the reward he offered ye be content, but to pass me you must pass the Test to which months I have spent. A rhyme, a riddle, an answer you shall give, lest our blades decide which of us is to live,"

Almost immediately nearly everyone was ready to attack this guy, but Harry raised a hand for patience. He had an idea. "Tell us of this Test, Mr Knight," The knight nodded solemnly. "A rhyme, a riddle, one may pass, secrets lie in the Master's past. Now for thy riddle. More precious than gold, more powerful than the sword. With it you are a hero, without it, a murderer,"

"Honor!" Freed answered before Harry could, making the knight point to him. "Correct. Ye may pass. None else may enter the Master's castle," The leader of the Raijin Tribe gulped at the sight of Harry's evil smile. "Training begins when we return to the guild," The Dragon Slayer declared, making Freed's heart drop.


Inside the castle, Freed found himself mesmerized by the fantastical beauty of it. It did look like it was right out of a children's story. So much so he couldn't properly describe it. Making his way down a flight of steps, he saw a row of stone knights on either side, each standing at silent attention, ready to move at a moment's notice. They led up to a throne where a tall black-cloaked figure sat.

The figure didn't seem solid, no, from Freed's perspective they were a churning mass of shadows with eyes of the purest silver and they smiled with monstrous white teeth. He was petrified by its presence, his blood going cold and his body stilling.

He stepped no further.

"Freed Justine, you stand before me earlier than is due,"

Freed shivered, the figure's voice was like a thousand ghostly whispers scratching a mountain with finger nails. Slaves to the whims of this monster.

"Oh you think so low of me, but I am necessary. Without me there would be no balance. Even the gods understand this. But you aren't here for that tale, are you? No. You are here for the mission slip my… compatriot sent out," The figure grinned with no malice and yet Freed felt as though he was being judged, his life being weighed in the hands of a being far beyond him.

A burst of chilling winds blew him back and the figure spoke again, this time with absolute power. "Find me the talisman of Ankhseram, it lies at the bottom of the Blood Lake. Bring it back to me and I shall give you your reward," Freed nodded and turned to leave.

"Say hello to Peverell for me,"


When Harry saw Freed, he eagerly asked for the details, completely ignoring how shaken up the boy was. "We need to bring him some talisman of Ankhseram from some Blood Lake," Freed explained, skin pale and cold.

Natsu took notice and slapped him on the back, adding some of his magic to warm him up. It worked and the boy sent the Fire Dragon Slayer an appreciative nod. Strangely excited, Harry bounced on his feet. "Well then, let's find out where this Blood Lake is,"

They made their way to the nearest town or village, but to their confusion, nobody would speak of the Blood Lake. Instead they would tell them "Run while you still can," before fleeing from sight. Laxus grew tired of the whole mess and went to the nearest, seediest tavern, and came out ten minutes later.

"Five miles northeast of here," He said casually, as if he hadn't just haggled for information with lowlives.

The group trooped off to the Blood Lake. Walking there didn't take long, and once they arrived, they stared at it with intrigue. "Is it really blood?" Bickslow asked curiously.

The lake was filled with a watery substance the very colour of blood. Crimson as mortal ichor, with a thickness that could indeed match it. It was so similar, it even gave off a light scent of copper that the Dragon Slayers finally picked up.

"Think you can move it with that Sea King Dragon Slayer Magic, Harry?" Laxus asked, knowing that the ravenette's arsenal had grown after his fight with God Serena. However Harry shook his head. "I would need a better mastery over it. Like I have with my Fire Dragon Slayer Magic. Right now I can only manipulate water,"

That was a problem. It wasn't like they could swim in it, it was too red to see clearly. Though Evergreen suggested trying anyway. "Worth a shot," Natsu admitted and dunked his head. He pulled it out a minute later, hair soaked with normal water. "It's down there, I can see. Still around the neck of some corpse. There's a lot of corpses, honestly. They look to be old knights, don't recognize the insignia on their armors though, but it still shows,"

The group nodded. "I'll have the best chance with breathing underwater," Harry said, and stepped forward, only for the lake to shimmer. Then a lady rose from it.

The woman was tanned and curvaceous, with eyes of rosen-chocolate brown, and everflowing golden white hair. She was the epitome of high-class beauty, and the boys felt their hearts skip a beat.

"You seek the talisman of the god that hides, all for a beauty that rules the tides. To succeed, the one of fire shall go alone, and face an army of sacred bones. Bring to me man's greatest treasure, and I shall reward you beyond measure,"

Stepping forward, Natsu had a grin plastered across his face. "I'm the one of fire, lady. Give me this army to face. I haven't gotten to knock some heads in lately," The lady smiled. "May Ares bless you, Son of the Fire Dragon King," Almost immediately Natsu disappeared in a burst of golden-white fire. Then the lady turned on the rest of the group.

"Knights of Ishgar's King! Rise once more!"

Harry went wide-eyed as from the lake skeletal knights rose, gleaming golden swords in hands. The lady gave a pleasant smirk. "This should test your resolve, seekers of Ankhseram's talisman," They all stepped back as thousands of skeletal knights stepped out of the lake.

"How deep is that shithole," Laxus grumbled, igniting his fists in lightning. "Freed! Formation B! Do not break rank!" The leader of the Raijin Tribe nodded and all its members formed a triangle formation while Harry and Laxus got their magic pumped up.

"Fire-Make: Sword!"

Laxus couldn't believe it. Another magic? When did it end for Harry? I am so going to learn more magic types, he decided, sick of Harry being the only glorified library of magic. Shaking his head, he coated his body in his Lightning Magic before launching at the enemy. Harry, meanwhile, crossed blades with the undead knights.

"Let's make a game out of this, Laxus! Whoever gets more buys the guild a round of beer!"

"Deal! Lightning Dragon's Breakdown Fist!"

"Fire Dragon's Roar!"


Natsu found himself in another realm. The sky was purplish-pink and the ground was a dirt-patched grassland. Ahead of him, he saw a wall stretching across the horizon….

"No way," Natsu muttered, realizing quickly what he was seeing.

Across the horizon, vertically formed, was an army of knights. Flesh and bone, alive and well, rushing him. He saw cavalry, infantry, and….. He laughed excitedly as arrows pierced the air in an endless wave. "Scales" He covered his entire body in dragon scales before spreading his arms out.

Fire burst to life and covered in a blazing aura of dark red flames. They rose as the arrows came down, they were scorched and the tips melted down to liquid metal three feet from his body. Letting loose an explosion of flames, he rushed the army, burning a path of fire and destruction across the earth.

He reached the army in seconds, and immediately began clashing with them. "Fire Dragon's Crushing Fang!" He swung a blazing roundhouse kick, sending a spiraling wave of fire around and taking out these Ishgar Knights. Their insignia was recognizable, if not similar to the Rune Knights insignia.

"Fire Dragon's Roar!"

He launched his breath attack straight west, and smirked as it took out their entire left flank. Catching a spear, he snapped it in half and skewered a knight's head with the pointy end. Soon he was a harbinger of death, taking out the army until none remained.

Or so he thought.

"Water Dragon's Roar!"

Natsu was blindsided by the breath attack, and barely caught himself on the ground, drenched from dozens of metric tons of water hitting him at once. His senses were going crazy, three scents were on him. Powerful ones.

"Ash Dragon's Spear!"

He leaped up, only to widen his eyes at the sound of "Smoke Dragon's Iron Fist!" He let out a painful wail as his back was hit point-blank. Landing on the ground, he was left crouching with one eye closed in pain, looking at his opponents.

There were three young men. A blue-haired, ashen-haired, and silver-haired young man. Each had cocky smirks and wore baggy pants and breastplate armor pieces bearing what he assumed was the royal insignia of the Ishgarian Army.

"We got us a Fire Dragon Slayer, guys. Smells like Igneel," The blue-haired one called out, smirking cockily.

"Got that right. Name's Jax. What's yours Pinky?" The ashen-haired teen called out civilly.

"Natsu Dragneel,"

That seemed to make the three tense. "He's a Dragneel," The third one said tensely, clenching his fists and getting into a fighting stance. "Haven't fought one of them in a while. Name's Caster, Son of Oceanogia, I'm the Water Dragon Slayer," The blue-haired one called out, more respectable now. The ashen-haired one spoke up next. "I'm the Ash Dragon Slayer, Son of Valmont," The last one, the silver-haired one, gave a grunt before revealing himself.

"I'm the Smoke Dragon Slayer as you can tell, Son of Cigarett. Yes, I know his name has the word 'cigar' in it," The third one seemed to refuse to name himself, but Natsu didn't care. These three had suitably pissed him off.

"Enough talk! Prepare to eat dirt! Fire Dragon's Crushing Fang!" He wasted no time in targeting the one that pissed him off the most- the Water Dragon Slayer. Slamming his blazing roundhouse kick into Caster's head, sending the Dragon Slayer sailing back. Not letting up, he burst forward and bellowed "Fire Dragon's Piercing Talon!"

It was too quick, too instantaneous, Caster's were dulling almost as soon as Natsu's fingertips touched his heart. "Not… bad," The Water Dragon Slayer wheezed before falling limp. Taking his arm out, he turned into fire to avoid a dual attack from his two enraged opponents.

"You're going to regret that, Dragneel!"

"Will I? Or will you join him?"

"Don't underestimate us!"

"Ash Dragon's Roar!"

"Smoke Dragon's Roar!"

Smirking, Natsu knew both those elements rather well and considered his chances were high. Opening his mouth, he inhaled both breath attacks. Immediately his body reacted to the two new elements, and he was overwhelmed with agony.

"Fool! You can't eat our elements!"

"He's dead. Idiot,"

Fighting through the agony, Natsu forced the two elements down and suddenly dark red flames burst to life, the aura of a giant fiery black and red ash dragon standing behind him appeared, roaring to the heavens above, with a sinister green-eyed smokey figure standing beside behind him, hand on his shoulder. The two Dragon Slayers stepped back, horrified by what they were seeing.

"Impossible!"

"This can't be real!"

"Do you two like to be bisected horizontally or vertically?"

Their eyes widened at his dark, bloodthirsty smirk. This wasn't the Dragneel they were facing before. This was a dragon that knew he had won and was enjoying himself. They stepped back and looked at each other once before nodding. Disappearing in a burst of ash and smoke, they appeared beside him, kicking him in either side of the head, but he didn't even flinch.

"Oh, that tickled,"

They leaped back and got together. Puffing their chests up, they gathered up their elements, and bellowed "Unity Raid: Catastrophe Dragon's Roar!" Their most powerful combination spell was launched and before their very eyes, they watched Natsu take it head on. When the dust settled, he was still standing, even if his clothes were tattered and singed.

"He's a monster,"

"No, a demon,"

"I prefer dragon, thank you,"

He stepped forward, but one step was all they saw before he was in their faces, palms at their chests. "Volcanic Ash Dragon's Palm Roar" Like the spell was called, twin roars consisting of all his now three elements burst from his palms and tore through their stomachs and out their backs. They were dead before they hit the ground.

"I'd give you a holy prayer to send you off, but you're holey enough. Hahaha! Who says I'm not hilarious!"


Harry and Laxus held their fists high, bringing down a dual bout of lightning down upon the last bit of skeletons, turning them to dust. That was the last of them. Already the Raijin Tribe were exhausted, and the lady was merely smiling.

"I believe the emerald-eyed child has a kill count of a hundred and eighty-seven to the orange-eyed blonde's one hundred and eighty-four,"

Perturbed that she kept count of their bet, they kept a closer eye on her. "Where's Natsu? He should be done with your army by now," Harry asked. The lady smiled coolly. "He has defeated the Ishgarian Knights and even the Royal Dragon Knights. And is finding man's treasure. It will be soon that he returns,"

Harry was about to ask further questions when the lady shot a beam of red magic through his chest, right through his heart. "It is time you sleep, young child. Your brother shall return soon, so take this time to learn,"

His vision went black before he hit the ground, the sound of someone screaming his name dulling to his ears.

"Harry!"